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| Mass arrest defended, slammed |
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| Monday, 08 February 2010 18:27 |
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THE head of the military unit that arrested at least 43 health workers in Morong, Rizal over the weekend is unfazed by criticisms that the military operation was illegal and the evidence was “planted.” Col. Leo Baladad of the Army’s 202nd Infantry Brigade maintained that majority of those arrested were members of the New People’s Army. He insis-ted the group was conduc-ting seminars on bomb making and medical trai-ning. Baladad’s men and members of the Rizal police on Saturday raided a house of Mario Condes on Dela Paz St., Barangay Maybangkal based on a warrant issued by a Cavite court. But it turned out the house owner was not Condes but Dr. Melecia Velmonte, 71, a consultant at the Philippine General Hospital, and a personal friend of former Health secretary Dr. Jaime Galvez-Tan. Baladad said they are set to amend the cases they initially filed against the suspect before the Department of Justice. “At the very least, the good doctor would be questioned so we would know the extent of her participation and knowledge of the activities of her house guests” he said. Human rights group Karapatan and relatives of those arrested said the victims were community health workers from the Council for Health and Development. Meanwhile, Sen. Pia Cayetano yesterday condemned the mass arrest and detention at Camp Capinpin of the health workers. Cayetano, chair of the Senate committee on social justice, said the military “should be made accountable for violating the rights of the 43 health personnel who were rounded up.” She said the military’s refusal to grant access to the health workers’ relatives and lawyers is a clear violation of their constitutional rights to liberty and presumption of innocence until proven otherwise. With reports from Bernadette E. Tamayo. |
